The sweet side of HIF

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are oxygen-sensitive transcription factors that mediate cellular adaptation to hypoxia. Depending on the type of injury, activation of HIF signaling in renal cells may be renoprotective or promote fibrosis. Isoe and colleagues demonstrate that hyperglycemia activates HIF-1 in mesangial cells via carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP), thus providing a novel link between alterations in systemic glucose homeostasis and HIF-regulated gene expression.